West African leaders to discuss situation in Niger

West African leaders will discuss Niger on August 10 after the junta that seized power there on July 26 defied a deadline to reinstate the ousted president or face the threat of military intervention, a spokesman for the regional bloc said, Report informs referring to Reuters.

The Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), which has sent military forces into troubled member states in the past, had told the junta to stand down by Sunday, but coup leaders instead closed Niger's airspace and pledged to defend the country.

"Niger's armed forces and all our defense and security forces, backed by the unfailing support of our people, are ready to defend the integrity of our territory," a junta representative said in a statement on national television.